Power consumers in the State will be hit hard amid the searing heat. The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has approved an average electricity tariff hike of 5.19% from 1st April 2023. Though the hike is marginal, it is likely to affect domestic consumers of the lower and middle-class segments. The tariff follows the Rs 1.69 per kilowatt in September 2022 and the public lighting duty on streetlights which is 0.08 paise per kilowatt.
The rate was increased from 39 paise per kilowatt kWh in January 2022 to Rs 1.69 per kilowatt in September 2022. To add to the woes of consumers public lighting duty of 0.08% per kilowatt has been imposed. In reality, it is calculated that there has been an overall increase of about 5 to 6% in what domestic consumers have to pay. Worse still the consumers will have to soon contend with pre-paid metres where if the recharge is not done the entire household will face a blackout.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The electricity department had proposed a power tariff hike of 6% for 2023-24, but the JERC granted an average tariff increase of 5.19%. Though earlier Goa’s power tariff was lower than neighbouring states now the tariff increase for 2023-24 has gone higher than Karnataka and Maharashtra, sources stated that in neighbouring Maharashtra electricity charges were increased by 2.2%, while Gujarat has not effected any power hike this year.
